Originally Posted by jambey2510

I apologise! Can you answer just the visa ones here? If you have the answers of course! I will begin new threads in due course for the other topics

Originally Posted by Pulaski

You can start the CR-1 process as soon as you have the required copies of your marriage certificate.

If you're planning on having your "main celebration" later, you might be opening a can of worms if only one set of parents is invited to the courthouse ceremony. Personally I'd either invite all parents, or elope and do it totally under the radar.

You can't switch a UK driving licence for a state drivers license, you will have to take the state required drivers ed and/or theory tests for whichever state you are living in then you have to do the road "test" (unless you're in NJ), which depends on the state, but is always much easier than the British driving test, and quite frankly is a complete joke in many states. It is no wonder that the standard of driving in the US is so appaling. You may be asked for your SSN, most states do.

You will be required to obtain a local drivers license within 10-90 days of taking up residence as defined by the state DMV (which has nothing to do with "residence" for IRS/tax, immigration, or any other purpose), depending on what the state allows. This may or may not be realistic, but so long as you have made a start on the process and are waiting for your test appointment you should be OK to drive (carefully).

No doubt JG will be along later to chastise me for writing about drivers licenses in the immigration forum.

Originally Posted by jambey2510

So we will get married - can she file the CR-1 forms whilst I'm there?

Originally Posted by jambey2510

I've been delving into what I'd need to send off to support the CR-1 application... It says proof of a bona fide wedding, if we did a courthouse one in her parents county, we don't even need witnesses and won't have photos, rings, etc... We would have the marriage certificate, photos of us both together in different places and dates, I have flight ticket emails I could print of, we also have letters to each other.. Do these count towards proving your wedding is bona fide? Also, I saw you can have an affidavit too for this, who can this be and what exactly would they need to fill in/say? I just want to get this done without hiccups along the way!

Originally Posted by Pulaski

The wedding certificate and some evidence of the longevity of your relationship, which it looks like you already have covered, should be fine. I don't think an affidavit is necessary, and I don't think it would add much to the existence of the marriage certificate.

Originally Posted by jambey2510

Thank you! I worry a lot as you can tell I just want the process to run smoothly. My fiance is getting a lot warmer to the idea of this process, especially now we know the benefits of doing it this way! We will gather all letters etc that point to a bona fide marriage Would we better to organise letters and photos into a sort of timeline album for their benefit? Also, if we send letters etc, do we get them back? Because we have letters and notes that mean a lot to each other!

Originally Posted by Pulaski

A time line is probable a good presentation, but they just need some highlights, not a giant binder of paper and photos - 15-20 letters/emails and a few photos will be fine, and they probably won't look at most of even that much.

Just send copies of anything you want to keep, and take the originals to your interview - which they then won't ask for or look at anyway!

Originally Posted by jambey2510

Thank you! Will they want written stuff on the photos? Like dates, comments and where etc? Or are just photos enough? ....

Originally Posted by Pulaski

I think it says to annotate the pictures, certainly most people do - dates, places, people, otherwise they're likely a bit meaningless.

Originally Posted by Noorah101

If you are talking about evidence to send with the I-130, they are interested in your life together AFTER marriage, so they don't want to see letters or meetings from before you got married. Most newlyweds don't have much in the way of evidence right after marriage, that's where the sworn affidavits are used, written by people who know you after marriage, and have spent time with you as a married couple. ....

Originally Posted by jambey2510

It says proof of a bona fide wedding...